SUR LA RÉSISTANCE DES HOMMES DE KENT A GUILLAUME

LE CONQLÉRANT *

When as the Duke of Normandy

With glistering spear and shield, Had entered into fair England,

And foil'd his foes in field :

On Christmas-day in solemn sort

Then was he crowned hère, By Albert archbishop oï, York,

With many a noble peer,

Which hein g done, he changed quite

The customs of this land.

And punish, such as daily sought

His statutes to withstand :

And many cities he subdu'd

Fair London with the rest; But Kent did still withstand his force^

And did lus laws detest.

1. Evuis'' old Bulliids hisloricul and na^ratue, vol. I, p. 34.

To Dover then he took his way,

The castle down to fling Which Arviragus bailded there,

The noble British king.

Which when the brave archbishop bold

Of Canterbury kriew The abbot of saint Augustines eke,

With ail their gallant crew :

They set themselves in armour bright, Thèse mischiefs to prevent

With ail the yeomen brave and bold That were in fruitful Kent.

At Canterbury did they meet

Upon a certain day, With sword and spear, with bill and bow

And stopt the conqueror's way.

Let us not yield like bond-men poor To French-men in their pride,

But keet our ancient liberty, W^ath chance so e'er betide,

And ralher dye in bloody field With manly courage prest,

Than to endure the servile yoke, Which we so much detest.

Thus did the Kentish commons cry

Unto their leaders still, And so march'd fôrth in warlike sort,

And stand at Swanfcomb-hill :

There in the woods they hid themselves Under the shadow green,

Thereby to get them vantage good, Of ail their foes unseen

And for the Conqueror's coming there

They privily laid wait.

And thereby suddenly appal'd

His loftv high conceit ;

For when they spyed his approach

în place as they did stand, Then marched they to him with speed,

Each one a hoiigh in hand,

So that unto the Gonqueror's sight,

Amazed as, he stood They seem'd to be a walking grove,

Or else a rnoving wood.

The shape of men he could not see,

The boughs did hide them so :

And now his heart with fear did quake,

To see a forest go;

Before, behind, and on each side.

As he did cast his eye, He spy'd the wood with sober pace

Approach to him full nigh :

Buth when tbe Kentish men had thus

Knclos'd the Conqueror round, Most suddenly they drew their swords.

And threw their boughs to ground;

Their banners they display in sight,

Their trumpets sound a charge, Their ratling drums strike up alarms,

Their troops stretch out at large.

Tbe Conqueror with ail his train,

Were hereat sore agast.

And most in péril, when thôy thougbt,

AU péril had been past.

Unto the Kentish men he sent,

The cause to understand.

For what intent. and for what cause

They took this war in hand.

To whom they made this short reply.

For liberty we lîght.

And to enjoy king Edward's laws he which we hold our right.

Then said the dreaful Conqueror, You shall bave what y ou wiil,

Your ancient ciistoms and your laws^ So that you will be still,

And each thing else that you will crave With reason at my hand,

So you will but acknowledge me Ghief king of fair England.

The Kentish men agreed thereon.

And laid their arms aside.

And by this means king Edward'slaws In Kent doth still abide;

And in no place in England else Thèse customs do remain,

\Vhich they by manly poiicy

Did of Duke William gain. ' ,

No 2

Dl'rrMLS SLR LA REDDITION DE LONDRES, EXTRAITS d'uN POÈME CONTEMPORAIN ATTRIBUÉ A f.UY, ÉVEQUE d'aMIENS *

Intus erat quidam contractus debilitate

Renum, sicque pedum segnis ab oificio ; Vulnera pro patria quoniam numerosa recepit,

Lectica vehitur, mobi'Atate caiens.

Omnibus ille tamen ^rimatibus imperat urbis, (v, 685)

Ejus et in auxilio publica res agitur.

Huic, per legatum, clam rex potiora révélât

Secreti, poscens quatenus his faveat, « Solum rex vocitetur, ait, sed commoda regni,

« Ut jubet Ansgardus ^ subdita cuncta regat. » (69 0|

1. Chroniques anglo-nornianâc'-', publiées par M. Francis jue Michel, t. 11 F, p. 31.

2. L'orthographe saxonne de ce nom est Ansgar et quelquefois Asgar. L'a 1diiion de la lettre d provient ici d'une habitude française dont on trouve plu-

Ille quidem caulus caute legata recepit,

Gordis et occulto condidit in thalamo.

Natu majores, omni levitate repuisa,

Aggregat, et verbis talibus alloquitur : « Egregii fratres, tum vi, tum ssepius arte

(Est ubi nec sensus vester, et actus nbi?) Cernitis oppresses valido certamine muros,

Et circumseptos cladibus innumeris ; Aïolis et erectœ transcendit machina turres,

Ictibiis et validis mœnia scissa ruunt. (700)

Casibus a multis, ex omni parte ruina

Eminet, et nostra corda timoré labant; Atque manus populi, nimio percussa pavore,

Urbis ad auxilium segniier arma movet.

Nosque foris vastat gbdius, pavor angit et intus;

Et nullum nobis praesidium superest.

Ergo, precor, vobis si spes est ulla salutis,

Quatenus addatis viribus ingenium; Est quum prsecipuum, si vis succumbat in actum,

Quod virtute nequit, fiat ut ingenio. (710)

Est igitur nobis super hoc prudenter agendum.

Et pariter sanum quaerere consilium.

Censeo quapropter, si vobis constat honestum,

Hostes dum laleant omnia quae patimur Actutum docilis noster legatus ut hosti

Mittatur, verbis fallere qui satagat; Servitium simulet nec non et lœdera pacis

Et dextras dextrae subdere si jubeat. » Omnibus hoc placuit ; dicto velocius implent;

Mittitur ad regem vir ralione capax, (720)

Ordine qui retulit decorans sermone faceto

Utile fraternum, non secus ac proprium.

Sed quamvis patula teneatur compede vulpes,

Fallitur a rege fallere quem voluit.

Namque palam laudat rex, atque latenter ineptat

Quidquid ab Ansgardo nuntius atlulerat.

sieiirs exemples dans Guillaume de Poitiers, qui écrit Algardus pour Alfgar.et Morcardus pour Morkar. Voyez, sur le staller Ansgar, une note de M. Auguste L'3 Prévost, dans son édition d'Orderi« Vital, t. II, p. 154.

Obcœcat donis stolidum verbisque fefellit,

Praemia promittens innumerosa sibi.

nie rétro rutilo gradiens oneratus ab auro,

A quibus est missus talia dicta refert : (730)

« Rex vobis pacem dicit, profertque salutem,

Vestris mandatis paret et absque dolis.

Sed, Dominum tester, cui rerum servit imago,

Post dictum regem nescit habere parem; Pulchrior est sole, sapientior est Salomone,

Promptior est Magno largior et Carolo.

Contulit Etguardus quod rex donum sibi regni

Monstrat et affirmât, vosque probasse refert. Hoc igilur superest, ultra si vivere vultis.

Débite cum manibus reddere jura sibi. » (7 4 0)

Annuit hoc vulgus, justum probat esse senatus.

Et puerum regem cœtus uterque negat.

Vultibus in terra deflexis, régis ad aulam

Cum puero pergunt, agmine composito.

Reddere per claves urbem, sedare furorem

Oblato quœrunt munere cum manibus.

Novit ut adventum factus rex obvius illis,

Cum puero reliquis oscula grata dedit^ Guipas induisit, gratanter dona recepit.

Et sic susceptos tractât honorifice, C^O)

Per fidei speciem proprium commendat honorem,

Et juramentis perfida corda ligat.